


Let's hear it for New York

by LoZfanchick



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Break Up, F/M, Friendship is Magic, Getting Back Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 10:11:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11034063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoZfanchick/pseuds/LoZfanchick
Summary: Steve and Tony have a rollar coaster of a relationship. In New York they meet, become friends, break up, get back together, break up again and then who knows....Stony centered and the other relationships are on the side.





	Let's hear it for New York

**Author's Note:**

> I was watching Sex and the City and thought Steve and Tony are kinda like Big and Carrie in the sense that they have a shit ton of drama but they come back to each other. So this started as a Sex and the City AU and now look where it landed. 
> 
> I changed my writing style for this fic so I hope you all like it. 
> 
> Side note: Stony is the endgame
> 
> **See the end for more notes because I need your guys help and opinions.**

New York City was a strange city and at times it seemed like a whole different world. In what other place could a boy from Brooklyn and a billionaire meet? This could happen in no other place than the Big Apple. 

Tony and Steve were two people that should have never met, but they did. A fateful rainy day involving a broken motorcycle and a run from the paparazzi ended up with them meeting, talking, and exchanging information. Then it seemed once they had spoken to each other they couldn’t stop. Lunch breaks, late night calls, coffee runs, and movie nights; all these things tumbled together till both Tony’s and Steve’s friends became curious and met the respective new friend. 

Steve hit it off right away with Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts, Bruce Banner, and Janet Van Dyne. James Rhodes took a bit more time to warm up to Steve. Rhodey has always been protective of Tony and he could probably already see what Tony himself was denying at this point; therefore he was hesitant to give an instant welcome to the guy Rhodey knew Tony would eventually give his heart to. However, Steve did eventually gain Rhodey’s approval and friendship.

Tony had a rougher start with Steve’s friends. Natasha Romanoff and Tony had actually met before, when she moonlighted at Stark Industries. Safe to say, she did not have a high opinion of him having only seen his Starktm face and attitude. However after getting to know Tony as a person, she came around. Bucky had not liked Tony, when questioned he said Tony just rubbed him the wrong way. However, for Steve’s sake he was civil to the man and only openly complains to his boyfriend Sam Wilson and Natasha. Sam had been a shining ray in Tony’s world when he first met Steve’s friends. The man’s easygoing attitude and easy friendship were direly needed and appreciated. Clint Barton was the other friend that easily took a shine to Tony. 

Then when Steve and Tony were out to lunch one day they met Thor Odinson. The three became fast friends. Thor was unbelievable! A man that shouldn’t exist in this world but somehow did. He was free with his affection, stronger than any person Steve or Tony had ever met, and was so generous he made Tony feel stingy. Steve and Tony knew they had to show Thor off to their friends and thus both friend groups finally converged. 

With Jan leading the friendship train, everyone was introduced and exchanged information. By the end of the night, both friend groups converged into one huge group. They started meeting up every week, some nights not everyone could make it. Jan had dates with her boyfriend Hank, as did Rhodey with his girlfriend Carol. Bruce had nights he needed to be in his lab or with his girlfriend Betty. Sam and Bucky would sometimes opt out to go on their own dates. Even Thor had to miss events to be with his younger brother. 

The one time the group told him to bring his younger brother along had been a nightmare. Everyone was in their mid twenties but Thor’s brother was 13, and he thought he could rule the world. Loki was a prankster that put both Tony and Clint to shame. He outwitted everyone at the party and started 4 separate fights. One of which ended with Bucky punching a hole in the wall and another ending with Clint being thrown through a door. After Natasha calmed everyone down and pinpointed that Loki was the cause of all the fights, Thor had defended the kid. Of course Thor made Loki apologize, but the smirk on Loki’s face as he did so, proved he wasn’t sorry for anything that happened. After that, everyone thought it best that Thor never bring Loki around again. 

A short time later, Steve realized he was in love with Tony. 

It was their weekly meet up but Tony and Pepper were caught up in work and couldn’t make it for the second week in a row. They were out of the country and hadn’t seen anyone for those two weeks but kept in contact via phones and the Internet. Rhodey was also out of town for work and Bruce was out with Betty. They all still met at Tony’s mansion (where all the weekly hang out had occurred) and played games but Steve couldn’t get into the swing of things. Then during drinks it hit him. He missed Tony. He missed Tony like he couldn’t stop holding his breath and waiting at the edge of his seat for the brunette to appear in front of him again. And in a brilliant moment of realization he blurted it out.

“I love Tony.”

Everyone stopped and stared at the blonde. Then Jan’s face morphed into the brightest smile that rivaled Thor’s. Meanwhile Happy’s face morphed into a considering frown. Then the debates started. Jan, Clint, and Thor were all for Steve confessing to Tony and getting together because they knew Steve and Tony would make a great couple. Happy and Bucky thought Steve should think about it more. Happy wanted to protect his friend and urged Steve to really evaluate his feelings before making any move. Bucky said the same thing but also asked Steve look at life’s big picture -meaning Tony’s world and Steve’s world. Which caused another round of debates. Natasha and Sam tried to be the mediators but two people were not enough to keep their group of friends calm. 

Jan, who had grown up with Tony and thus “came from Tony’s world” was hurt and offended that Bucky thought Steve wouldn’t be welcome in it. However Happy pointed out that there is a difference between being friends with a paparazzi followed billionaire and being in a relationship with one. Bucky and Happy could probably see what Steve had yet to (or didn’t want to). Perhaps Steve and Tony were too young, impulsive and stubborn. However none of the debating really affected Steve’s resolve.

Steve went to Tony’s lab the day the genius came back to New York and kissed him. They announced they were dating that week. 

Tony and Steve’s relationship had been great. They were in love and never let any of their friends forget it. Many movie nights were spent making gagging noises at the two of them as they cuddled, kissed, and bickered. Their bickering was like foreplay and everyone knew it.

The next big announcement came from Jan who announced her and her long time boyfriend Hank were moving to England. She said it wouldn’t be long, a year at most. She had a fashion show lined up and Hank would do some research that involved European insects. She even gave them all preshow tickets that she had made up herself since the actual show wasn’t scheduled yet. However she promised them all a seat and since her and Tony both owned their own jets and homes in Europe everything but the date was arranged. So even though the group lost one, things still carried one. Then another surprising development was announced, Pepper and Happy began dating. Tony -who had been helping Happy try to woo Pepper unsuccessfully; until Steve came in and gave some actual helpful advice- had been ecstatic when they had told everyone. 

Meanwhile Tony and Steve had hit their 6-month mark and thus started to hit some rocks. 

Tony kept being pulled away from Steve and their friends by work and social obligations. The paparazzi printed article after article about Tony and his “lovers”. None of which were actually true, but Tony wanted to keep Steve out of the spotlight he grew up in, so their relationship was a secret from the world. PDA was restricted and only their friends knew the truth. Steve tried not to let the bullshit articles get to him but sometimes a particular picture of Tony with his arm around someone would make something inside him tick. He didn’t tell Tony, but he was starting to resent that Tony wanted their relationship secret. He told Bucky, who actually defend the genius’s secrecy plan, but that only proved to wrangle Steve up more. Unable to confront Tony about his problem with their secret relationship the anger and jealousy festered. 

Meanwhile Tony, who rarely had relationships, was starting to feel the strain of what being in one really meant. Steve would text and call Tony almost everyday and the brunette were starting to feel suffocated. He needed his space, he needed his time, time to lock himself away from everyone and decompress. In addition, Steve would often be in Tony’s lab with him. Tony loved this! Steve would quietly draw and he would tinker. Sometimes Steve would bring him food and they’d talk, and it was perfect. But, other times, Steve would mother hen him and forcible remove him from his lab –his lab. He knew Steve was trying to look out for him and did it out of love. But Tony needed his freedom, he needed to control his life –to often have people tried to control it for him that he began to resent anyone who tried. Tony didn’t tell anyone and then everything came to a head. 

They were at their weekly meet up and surprisingly everyone (minus Jan) had been able to make it. Pepper just finished talking about an art gala Tony and her had to attend then she turned to Happy and asked if he would be her plus one. Happy had agreed and Steve looked at Tony expectantly but Tony hadn’t said anything. 

“Do you have a plus one?” Steve had asked, and Tony gave him a confused look then shook his head.

“No. I mean I have one but I’m not going to use it.” 

“Really?” Sam had butted in. Bucky gripped his arm and gave him a glare that Sam returned and shook off before glaring at Tony. “You’re not inviting your **artist** boyfriend to an art gala?” 

Tony then began to explain how he couldn’t do that because that would start rumors that Steve and him were dating. Steve bursted in asking if it would be the worst thing, if the world did know they were dating. When Tony tried to defend himself Steve elaborated more, saying how he felt Tony wasn’t committed enough to their relationship because he kept trying to keep it a secret. Tony bit back with how he was committed and how could Steve think that when Tony’s been allowing Steve to take up his time with his constant messages and letting Steve control him even though it drove him insane. That got Rhodey and Pepper to glare at Steve, immediately going on the defense. Steve then denied he was ever trying to control Tony and how dare Tony accuse him of that. Bucky and Sam had also defended Steve, stating he would never try to control anyone. Steve then threw the insult back and Tony saying he was controlling for deciding on his own that they would be a secret. And then it dissolved into madness. Bickering was constant with them, in fact their conversations were mostly them bickering. However this wasn’t bickering, this was an argument, a load and expulsive one. 

They broke up. 

Their mutual friends still spoke to each other but Rhodey and Bucky never interacted with Steve or Tony, respectively. The weekly meet ups still occurred though never at Tony’s mansion, and never with Steve or Tony in attendance. It was odd, Clint and Tony still talked and hung out but Steve was never brought up. Steve still spoke with Pepper and went to Museums with her but Tony was never discussed. 

2 months later the weekend of Jan’s fashion show arrived. Steve and a few friends flew there in Jan’s jet and the rest flew with Tony in his jet. When Steve and Tony first saw each other again at Jan and Hank’s place they were respectful and courteous. Steve tried not to let the fact that Tony had dark circles under his eyes which he had obviously tried to hide, get to him and Tony tried to ignore that Steve’s running shows that they had bought just before the break up, looked as if they were on their last leg. 

Jan greeted all of them and then gave them a tour. Jan then rushed off to finish the shows last minute preparations and everyone split into groups and decided to take a walk about London. At the end of the night some people stayed at Jan’s, others stayed at Tony’s. Both Rhodey and Bucky comforted their respective best friends as the boys spent a lot of the night discussing how they hoped Tony/Steve was doing alright. Both friends supplied comforting words but Tony and Steve dismissed them. 

“How can you say he’s fine? Did you see the bags under his eyes?! His nightmares are probably keeping him up again and no one’s there!”

“Of course he’s fine! He’s so fine that he’s out running through all of New York from dawn until dusk to run away from everything that’s so GREAT and FINE in his life!” 

The next day the fashion show arrived and everyone was there to cheer on Jan. At the end of the show Jan came out to a round of applause and all their friends immediately gave her a standing ovation. The crowd was then hushed as Hank came up on stage and proposed to Jan. Jan squealed yes and the cameras began swarming the runway more than they had previously. 

That night everyone went out for drinks to celebrate Jan’s success and engagement. During a highpoint in the night, Tony approached Steve and gave him a wrapped box. In the box was a brand new pair of running shoes. Steve kissed him and Tony kissed him back and they left the party and went to Tony’s place. 

The next day they all said farewell and went back to the US on Tony’s jet, with Tony and Steve sitting side by side and their hands intertwined. 

After that they seemed to be better then every. They both discussed whether they should be public or not, and in the end they decided they would be public. If the magazines wanted to label it a “good friendship” they’d all laugh about it and if they got nasty, they’d be with each other and get through it together. Steve still pulled Tony from the lab but this time it wasn’t just whenever Steve thought it best for Tony to leave; but only after a time limit of 12 hours had passed and Tony had yet to sleep or emerge from his cave. Steve also cut down on his texting and calling but surprisingly, Tony increased his texts and calls. So they found a nice balance and managed to make their relationship work. The bickering stayed and some nights they left each other in anger, but they always came back to each other. 

A year passed. Jan and Hank had moved back to the US a few months back and now we’re at the alter saying their vows. Tony gave Steve a small wave from his spot as a groomsmen. At the reception the music and drinks flowed freely and everyone danced and partied till the Hall closed. The weekly meetings had been brought back to Tony’s mansion after the couple got back together and everyone still tried their best to attend. 

A few months later, Bucky and Sam had gotten a dog together. Both guys weren’t into the idea of marriage. Plus they had been together for so long they were already considered a married couple. So to solidify their partnership they got a dog. Clint, who had his own dog (Lucky), was ecstatic because now Lucky had a playmate. Pepper and Happy were in the middle of moving in together and Bruce was just showing off the engagement ring he had bought for Betty. An idea started to buzz around in Tony’s head and a feeling began to form in Steve.

Of course the feeling and idea were conflicting. Steve and Tony rarely agreed with anything immediately, this should’ve been no different. But it was. It was different. The idea and feeling couldn’t be debated. In this instance one had to win and the other lose. A compromise was not available.

Some time later, Tony took Steve to the Statue of Liberty, they’d been before, but Steve loved it and Tony loved Steve. Steve was enjoying the view from the Statues base when Tony dropped to one knee. The feeling grew. 

Tony professed how he couldn’t imagine life without Steve and never wanted to. Cameras from passerby’s phones were already up and on the couple. Tony looked so scared, so hopefully. Steve loved Tony so of course he said yes. 

The feeling grew. 

Their friends were ecstatic. Everyone gave their congratulations but Bucky and Sam saw something in Steve’s eyes. He brushed them off and they let it drop. 

The feeling grew.

A few weeks later at one of the weekly meetings Tony, Pepper, Natasha, and Jan began planning Steve and Tony’s wedding. Tony asked for Steve’s input but he brushed them off saying he didn’t care about the details. They all joked that he would regret that. Bruce got engaged that next week. Unlike Steve and Tony’s and Jan and Hank’s engagement, his was private. Betty asked Bruce right as they were about to head to bed. He said yes then ran to his dresser and puled out the ring he had bought and she said yes. 

Time went on and more wedding planning took place. Some helped Bruce and Betty (who now came to the weekly meetings), others helped Tony. Steve answered some questions and put in his opinion occasionally but never directly planned anything. 

The feeling was heavier.

Months later, Tony asked Steve if he wanted to move in before the wedding. Steve dodged the question. It was brought up again by Happy, who asked if Steve wanted to use his relator to sell his apartment. Steve took the number but never called. 

The feeling was constantly there.

Sam was the next to bring it up, while they walked his and Bucky’s dog. The feeling overtook Steve and he went off.

“Why do I have to move?! Why is everyone asking when I’m going to move?! Why can’t we just TAKE! THINGS! SLOW!” 

Sam directed him to a park bench where he helped get Steve’s breathing under control. Then Sam helped unravel the feeling.

Steve didn’t want to get married. They were young, there was so much they could do, so much they could still explore and yet marriage seemed like a rock to have tied to your back. A chain. Steve loved Tony, but he wasn’t ready for a commitment of that magnitude. 

“Why did you say yes?”

“Because I love him. When the man you love. A man who has been abandoned and scared of love leaving him. Kneels in front of you and asks you to spend forever with him. You say yes.” 

“Talk with him.”

A beat of silence and Steve shook his head. “No. No I’d lose him. I….I’m just having cold feet.” A big inhale and another shake of his blonde hair. “I’ll be fine.”

Sam didn’t look convinced and the next day Bucky didn’t either. That week, at the weekly meet up, Tony went over to Steve with his tablet in hand.

“I know you don’t care about the details but I want to share what we’ve got planned out.” 

No one else seemed to see the looks Sam and Bucky gave Steve. Steve didn’t either, all he saw was the tablet filled with his wedding. The wedding he really didn’t want. Tony kept talking and swiping through images and images of wedding things: Photographer choices, Videographer choices, possible Halls, table arrangements, table settings, flowers, etc. 

“Pepper is working with some artists to see if we can get a wedding topper of two grooms bickering.” The room laughed, then Tony grabbed his hand. “But if you want a traditional, and I use that lightly, wedding topper that’s fine. We can get the two grooms standing by each other.” A flick to multiple wedding cake toppers. “We’re gonna go cake testing closer to the date. I think marble would be best, but we can do white or chocolate or all three. Hell we’ll have enough guests, let’ do all three.” 

“S-sure.” Steve squeezed Tony’s hand. Someone urged Tony on, Natasha by the sound of it. Though all of the noise seemed be going distant to Steve’s ears. The feeling was tight. 

“Right, the date. What’s your feeling about a summer wedding? Though you’re birthday’s in the summer, we could do spring. But everyone has weddings then. I refuse the fall; we’re not having our wedding when everything is dying. Winter could be nice. We could change the color’s to-”

“NO!” Steve shouted as he stood. He couldn’t breath. “No no no no. I can’t. I CAN’T!” He sat back down and put his head in between his knees. “I….” After his breathing was under control he looked up. Silence. Horror, sympathy, and rage was on a variety of peoples faces. He couldn’t look at Tony, but from his stiff legs and still hands, Steve knew. “I’m sorry….Tony, I’m SO so sorry…I…”

“…You don’t want to marry me.” 

“I…I just…”

“You son of a bitch!” Rhodey whispered but in the silence it was like a war cry. One Bucky responded to.

“He’s just trying to be honest about his feelings. Granted,” Bucky gestured. “his timing’s shit but he’s trying to follow his feelings.”

“Steve…” Nat began but didn’t finish. 

“I’m sorry.” Steve said again and Tony bolted. Pepper ran after him, Happy and Jan at her heels. 

Bucky and Rhodey began a yelling match. Sam joined in and Natasha joined in as well, however she was on Tony’s side. Clint and Hank also got into it, both trying to defend their friend. Betty and Bruce were on a date that night and Thor was with Loki that night, so they were absent from the fight that was termed “the Civil War”. That was the last weekly meet up for the whole gang. 

The press had a field month. Tony rarely left his lab. Steve bought a treadmill since he couldn’t go outside without getting flooded by cameras. 

Clint, Bucky, and Sam all stayed on “Steve’s side” meanwhile Rhodey, Pepper, Jan, Hank, Happy, and Bruce when he returned, all stayed on “Tony’s side”. Natasha was pissed at Steve for a long time. She gave him a verbal beat down for remaining silent, for giving Tony false hope and feelings, but she went back to him. She sided with Tony but Steve was her friend. 

Thor was, as usual, out of this world. He talked with Steve and let Steve discuss the feeling that he had carried. He didn’t approve of how Steve ended things but agreed it needed to happen. He also comforted Tony, and felt for the man who thought he found love, only for it have been ripped away by the very person giving it.

This wasn’t like the first break up, this was worse. Steve’s side and Tony’s side didn’t interact, save Thor. And it stayed that way.

Time heals all wounds but no one ever said time healed them quickly. A year later, Tony could look back at the Civil War and see all the signs he missed in his blissful state that something was wrong. He regretted never asking Steve about it. 

Steve also reflected back on the Civil War and knew there were many things he could’ve done differently. He should have listened to Sam; he should have talked in private. Instead he got all his friends caught up in this. Clint and Natasha never talked about the Civil War, and she seemed to really analyze everything they all said even more than she had previously. 

New York City for all it’s grander was still in a small world, so of course Steve’s side and Tony’s side would run in to each other from time to time. Greetings, if given, were stiff and partings awkward. Tony and Steve ran crossed paths but it never ended well. 

It seemed like Steve’s side and Tony’s side would drift apart and never be as close again, if not for Thor and his frantic phone call. Loki had run away.

Loki was adopted. His real father was a drug trafficker that Odin himself sent away to jail. Thor and Loki had no idea. Loki found out during a fight with Odin and bolted. Thor called all his friends in a mad plea to help him locate his brother. 

Loki was around 18 now so Tony and Rhodey called the airports nearby and made sure to have them check for Loki and not allow him to board any planes. Then they were all on foot and in cars scouring New York for the teenager. 

Steve ran towards Thor’s back in Central Park and called out to him to get his attention. However, when Thor turned it revealed Tony, who had been hidden by Thor’s bulky frame. Steve and Tony were caught, words lost, eyes locked, and minds empty of what to do next. Thor, seeming to forget the Civil War broke the eye contact by grabbing Steve and asking if he had any news. Another interruption came from a text on their phones.

Clint got thrown in a dumpster. Loki had some muscles in that lanky frame and he used them to throw the only one who managed to track him down into a dumpster. Tony hailed the three of them a cab and threw money at the driver so he would step on it. Steve sprung out of the car and grabbed Loki who thrashed like a cornered Tiger. Everyone converged on that location. 

Thor wrapped Loki in an embrace and tried to sooth his brother. Loki didn’t look happier but he stopped trying to run. He walked away with Thor who thanked all his friends for their help. Once he and Loki were in a car, driving home Tony turned to Steve and apologized. 

“I’m sorry, I should have noticed you weren’t comfortable and-”

“No! I’m sorry Tony. I never meant to hurt you, I just…”

“I know.” 

It was rocky and more than a few bumps were run into along the way. But slowly, very slowly Steve’s side and Tony’s side converged again. Bruce and Betty got married during the Steve side, Tony side debacle so Steve’s side had to experience their wedding through pictures and the video. Then even more slowly the weekly meet ups began to take place.

More time later, Steve brought up a new girlfriend he was seeing, Sharon Carter. Tony asked about her and if Steve was happy. When Steve said he was, Tony smiled. They were friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Well I hope you guys like The Beginning. Now here's where I need help. Where should I go from here? Originally this fic was going to be just 2 chapters "The Beginning" and "The End" however then I started writing "snap shots" of certain parts in this chapter and really liked them.
> 
> So my questions to you are as follows:  
> 1\. Should I post the snap shots or just jump to The End?  
> 2\. If I should post snap shots, which parts would you like like elaborated more? Fair warning I'm not elaborating Loki's run away scene, I tried and tried but didn't like any result (sorry). ALSO I may not be able to elaborate on all your guys requests, sorry. They might turn out like Loki's run away and just not work, I'm sorry.


End file.
